July 4, 2026 · David Farmer
The Good Guy and The True Guy
“He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.””
Luke 18:9-14 →
## Faith In?
If we step back and take a running jump over the last few sections of Scripture, Jesus is really driving faith home hard! He told the ten lepers to go, and as they obeyed His command in faith, they went, and then were cleansed. The Pharisees didn’t have enough faith to see the Kingdom as He taught faith first to be a requirement to see it. The persistent widow parable begins with we “ought always to pray and not lose heart” encouraging longevity to our faith walk. It ends with “when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?” Luke 18:9 “He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves...” Trusting in yourself is having faith in yourself. Maybe one question remains then. Where is your faith? In what should faith be put? We’ve surely heard someone speaking with a positive attitude say, “I have faith,” right before they attempt something hard. Faith in what? In who? This may sound innocent, but it means, “I’ll do it, because I’ll will it.”
## Comparisons
So in this parable, two men went to pray. The first man was the clergy of his day and compared himself to other men. Lifting himself up above them, he raised himself closer to the level of God. The second
man compared himself directly to God, and he saw how low he was in reality. So one is the good guy, and one is the true guy. We see the preacher “standing by himself” (18:11). He stood apart from other men in his own mind thinking himself above them; worthy to come near because of the standard he used. The other man was “standing far off” (18:13). He stood apart from God in his own mind thinking himself below Him; unworthy to come near because of the standard he used. And about this lowly sinner, Jesus says: Luke 18:14 “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other...”
## Self-Check
Luke 18:14 “... For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” In a way, we compare ourselves to God when we pray. Are you lifting yourself up to Him or lifting Him up in His Holiness? Do you see yourself as above other people or below God? What standard are you using? Be honest about the attitude you’re praying with, the preacher’s or the sinner’s, and you’ll find out which you are. Are you the good guy or the true guy?
## Just a Kid